Exergy – NewPack

Lead Organisation

Exergy Ltd

Overview

NewPack, a project based throughout Europe and due to end in 2021, is focused on the production of new bio-plastics based on PHB-PLA blends with improved sustainability performance. A new circular value chain is being established from agro-food wastes (potato peel, wheat, crustaceous shell) that will be exploited to produce PHB for food packaging. NewPack is heavily focused on scaling up the most advanced technologies to pilot scale. Since all the bio-plastic films produced by NewPack will be biodegradable or compostable cost-efficient recycling will result in reduced waste management.

Results and achievements

• Bio-plastic films using commercially available PHB and PLA have been successfully created
• Nanowhiskers from commercial chitin have been successfully created to strengthen bio-plastic blend at a large-scale
• Nanowhiskers derived from waste wheat straw have been created and on both a lab and pilot scale
• PHB production on a pilot plant scale has been demonstrated using 10 tonnes of potato peel waste as a feedstock to produce 52 kg of PHB
• Extrusion tests using waste-derived bio-plastic are ongoing but early tests show that a transparent film can be created Environmental and economic performance of the created bio-plastic not available until 2021

Links and contact information

View the full NewPack Case Study

Contact: Ian Bennett; 024 7615 8171; ibennett@exergy-global.com

Further information: https://exergy-global.com/